Portable goal-tracking device

Abstract

A portable device includes a body, a media player in the body, and a first button, a first display device, and a second button on the body. The first button, when pressed by a user, causes the media player to play a motivation message for motivating the user to take an action towards a goal. The first display device is configured to display a number indicating a total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal. The second button is configured to, when pressed by the user, change the total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal and the number displayed by the first display device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable device comprising:
 a body;   a media player in the body;   a first button on the body, the first button, when pressed by a user, causing the media player to play a motivation message for motivating the user to take an action towards a goal;   a first display device on the body and configured to display a number, the number indicating a total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal; and   a second button on the body, wherein the second button is configured to, when pressed by the user, change the total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal and the number displayed by the first display device.   
     
     
         2 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein the body is in a shape of a wearable device, an accessory, or an ornament. 
     
     
         3 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein the motivation message includes an audio clip selected from a library or a personalized audio message. 
     
     
         4 . The portable device of  claim 1 , wherein the motivation message is randomly selected from a plurality of audio clips stored in the portable device. 
     
     
         5 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of goal buttons arranged on the body according to a pattern, each of the plurality of goal buttons, when pressed by the user, causing a selection of at least one of a different respective goal or a different respective goal duration. 
     
     
         6 . The portable device of  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of display devices each corresponding to a respective goal button in the plurality of goal buttons and configured to display a respective number of performed actions or remaining actions. 
     
     
         7 . The portable device of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of goal buttons, when pressed by the user, further causes an increase or decrease of the respective number of performed actions or remaining actions. 
     
     
         8 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of action buttons arranged on the body according to a pattern, each of the plurality of action buttons corresponding to a type of actions in a plurality of types of actions towards the goal. 
     
     
         9 . The portable device of  claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of display devices each corresponding to a respective action button in the plurality of action buttons and configured to display a respective number of performed actions or remaining actions in the corresponding type of actions towards the goal. 
     
     
         10 . The portable device of  claim 1 , further comprising a communication device configured to communicate with a computing device through a wired or wireless link. 
     
     
         11 . The portable device of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless link includes a link based on a Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, or a cellular communication protocol. 
     
     
         12 . The portable device of  claim 10 , wherein the portable device is configurable by the computing device through the wired or wireless link. 
     
     
         13 . The portable device of  claim 12 , wherein the portable device is configurable by the computing device through the wired or wireless link to set at least one of:
 the goal;   a duration of the goal;   the motivation message; or   a target number of actions towards the goal.   
     
     
         14 . A method of motivating a user to achieve a goal, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a computing device executing a user application, instructions for configuring a portable device for motivating the user to achieve the goal;   executing, by the portable device, the instructions to configure the portable device;   displaying, by a first display device on the portable device, a number indicating a total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal;   playing, by a media player on the portable device and in response to the user pressing a first button on the portable device, a motivation message for motivating the user to take an action towards the goal; and   changing, in response to the user pressing a second button on the portable device, the total number of performed actions or remaining actions towards the goal and the number displayed by the first display device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein configuring the portable device comprises setting at least one of:
 the goal;   a duration of the goal;   the motivation message;   one or more types of actions to take towards the goal; or   a target number of actions towards the goal.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising receiving, using the user application executing on the computing device, user inputs regarding the goal, the user inputs including at least one of:
 the goal;   a duration of the goal;   the motivation message;   one or more types of actions to take towards the goal; or   a target number of actions towards the goal.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the motivation message includes an audio clip selected from a library or a personalized audio message recorded using the computing device and the user application. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving the instructions for configuring the portable device comprises receiving the instructions from the computing device using a wired or wireless link. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the motivation message is randomly selected from a plurality of audio clips stored in the portable device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 selecting, in response to the user pressing a goal button in a plurality of goal buttons arranged on the portable device,
 a different respective goal from a plurality of goals; 
 a different respective goal duration from a plurality of goal durations; or 
 a different respective type of actions in a plurality of types of actions towards the goal; and 
   displaying, by the first display device, the number indicating the total number of performed actions or remaining actions for the different respective goal, for the different respective goal duration, or for the different respective type of actions.